Purpose of the Code of Conduct
The Tantra Alliance envisions a world in which access to high-quality teaching and practicing of Tantra is equitable for all and elevates collective well-being and human consciousness. The purpose of the Code of Conduct and the overall ethical commitment is to foster safe and respectful guidelines for the Tantra profession and the facilitation of workshops and retreats. This is to ensure Tantra Alliance members maintain a high level of teaching skills and accountability. By defining and requiring high standards of professional and ethical conduct, Tantra Alliance seeks to promote confidence and respect for members throughout tantra communities and the public at large.
A Code of Conduct for the Tantra Alliance outlines specific behaviors and actions that are expected from members, participants, and stakeholders. It provides clear guidelines on acceptable and unacceptable behavior within the organization and during interactions related to its activities. The focus is on compliance and enforcement to maintain order and professionalism.
The Tantra Alliance envisions a world in which access to high-quality teaching and practicing of Tantra is equitable for all and elevates collective well-being and human consciousness. The purpose of the Code of Conduct and the overall ethical commitment is to foster safe and respectful guidelines for the Tantra profession and the facilitation of workshops and retreats. This is to ensure Tantra Alliance members maintain a high level of teaching skills and accountability. By defining and requiring high standards of professional and ethical conduct, Tantra Alliance seeks to promote confidence and respect for members throughout tantra communities and the public at large.
A Code of Conduct for the Tantra Alliance outlines specific behaviors and actions that are expected from members, participants, and stakeholders. It provides clear guidelines on acceptable and unacceptable behavior within the organization and during interactions related to its activities. The focus is on compliance and enforcement to maintain order and professionalism.
Code of Conduct: At A Glance
The Code of Conduct applies to every Tantra Alliance member. It sets out the recommended, acceptable, and required professional and ethical behaviors by which members agree to conduct themselves. It also makes explicit those behaviors deemed unacceptable and unethical. The code applies to all members presenting themselves in a facilitator, teacher, or professional capacity and, as such, is distinguished from the private conduct of members.
The foundation upon which our Code of Conduct is based includes values such as inclusion, integrity, honesty in communications, student-teacher relationships based on mutual respect, and boundaries such as consent-based touch.
Tantra Alliance members commit to high standards of competency and ethics. Tantra Alliance recognizes that there are many lineages, styles, and methodologies and believes that the teaching of Tantra must respect that diversity. There are, however, ethics and values that underpin the facilitation of Tantra irrespective of those differences.
Key Principles of the Code of Conduct:
The Code of Conduct applies to every Tantra Alliance member. It sets out the recommended, acceptable, and required professional and ethical behaviors by which members agree to conduct themselves. It also makes explicit those behaviors deemed unacceptable and unethical. The code applies to all members presenting themselves in a facilitator, teacher, or professional capacity and, as such, is distinguished from the private conduct of members.
The foundation upon which our Code of Conduct is based includes values such as inclusion, integrity, honesty in communications, student-teacher relationships based on mutual respect, and boundaries such as consent-based touch.
Tantra Alliance members commit to high standards of competency and ethics. Tantra Alliance recognizes that there are many lineages, styles, and methodologies and believes that the teaching of Tantra must respect that diversity. There are, however, ethics and values that underpin the facilitation of Tantra irrespective of those differences.
Key Principles of the Code of Conduct:
- Adhere to Applicable Laws
- Respect Student-Teacher Relationships
- Do No Harm and Act within the Scope of Your Qualifications
- Maintain Honesty in Communications
- Commitment to Professional Standards and Development
- Report Any Misconduct
Code of Conduct: In DepthCode
Principle 1 - Adhere to Applicable Laws
Requires any trainings, workshops, retreats, or courses to adhere to applicable laws. Members MUST abide by all local, state, provincial, national, and federal laws and regulations applicable in their location(s).
Code Principle 2 - Respect Student-Teacher Relationships
Includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Code Principle 3 - Do No Harm
Members must do no harm. They must attest that they will take reasonable steps to avoid causing harm and will not intentionally or negligently cause harm to students, trainees, employees, peers, other members, other teachers, or members of the public through any action or inaction. This includes but is not limited to actions prescribed by local, state, provincial, national, and federal laws and regulations.
Members must not provide advice or services for which they are not properly and currently qualified during any training, workshop, or retreat. Members may provide referral lists of available resources for participants, including but not limited to medical and mental health professionals, law enforcement, suicide prevention hotlines, and sexual abuse hotlines.
Code 3 also prohibits, for safety purposes, members from teaching Tantra while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, except for those drugs prescribed for medical purposes by a licensed medical or mental health professional. This teaching prohibition is irrespective of jurisdictional legality and tantric practices, lineages, styles, and methodologies.
Code Principle 4 - Maintain Honesty in Communications
Members must maintain honesty in communications. This principle includes a duty to refrain from certain activities and to proactively make certain disclosures, including but not limited to:
Code Principle 5 - Commitment to Professional Standards and Development
Members must maintain their commitment to continual and ongoing professional development and education to comply with registration requirements. They must:
Code Principle 6 - Respond to and/or Report Any Misconduct
This code requires all schools and teachers to respond to any misconduct witnessed by their colleagues. This may start with direct feedback, and if no changes are made then internal assistance sought. If this still doesn't create a resolution, then reporting to the Tantra Alliance, or seeking professional support from Safe Mediation or similar. Members represent the standards to which they aspire and will abide, to the best of their ability. Members agree to be held accountable to their colleagues for any actions that deviate from the agreed-upon standards.
Principle 1 - Adhere to Applicable Laws
Requires any trainings, workshops, retreats, or courses to adhere to applicable laws. Members MUST abide by all local, state, provincial, national, and federal laws and regulations applicable in their location(s).
Code Principle 2 - Respect Student-Teacher Relationships
Includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Consent-Based Touch: Members must obtain 'explicit and informed consent' before physically touching participants in Tantra practices. Explicit and informed consent can be given verbally, in writing, by an unambiguous gesture, or via a consent indicator. Silence or lack of resistance does not demonstrate consent. Members understand and agree that explicit and informed consent is an ongoing process of communication and agency, and that previous consent does not imply future permission or allow for future contact of any type.
- Romantic and/or Sexual Relationships: Members SHOULD NOT enter into a new romantic and/or sexual relationship with a student or participant during the course, retreat, conference, workshop, class, or other such events where the member is perceived to be the teacher. If feelings develop, or if the parties mutually agree to move forward with a romantic and/or sexual relationship after the course/workshop, then a designated and appropriate cool-down period must be observed (minimum of 3 months from the training being completed).
- Consent to Record: Members MUST NOT photograph, record video, or capture any other image in any medium, nor use such imagery without the express consent of the participants who are included in such photography, video, and imagery.
Code Principle 3 - Do No Harm
Members must do no harm. They must attest that they will take reasonable steps to avoid causing harm and will not intentionally or negligently cause harm to students, trainees, employees, peers, other members, other teachers, or members of the public through any action or inaction. This includes but is not limited to actions prescribed by local, state, provincial, national, and federal laws and regulations.
Members must not provide advice or services for which they are not properly and currently qualified during any training, workshop, or retreat. Members may provide referral lists of available resources for participants, including but not limited to medical and mental health professionals, law enforcement, suicide prevention hotlines, and sexual abuse hotlines.
Code 3 also prohibits, for safety purposes, members from teaching Tantra while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, except for those drugs prescribed for medical purposes by a licensed medical or mental health professional. This teaching prohibition is irrespective of jurisdictional legality and tantric practices, lineages, styles, and methodologies.
Code Principle 4 - Maintain Honesty in Communications
Members must maintain honesty in communications. This principle includes a duty to refrain from certain activities and to proactively make certain disclosures, including but not limited to:
- Representation: Members must not falsely represent their professional Tantra history, including education, training, experience, and credentials. They must not plagiarize any copyrighted material and must accurately disclose the source of any teaching, writing, or resource that is not their own. Members should acknowledge their teachers or mentors when sharing a teaching related to that relationship. Members must not make unsupported or exaggerated claims regarding the effects of Tantra.
- Transparency: Members should provide transparent details of the workshop, course, or retreat to participants, including the level of expected nudity.
Code Principle 5 - Commitment to Professional Standards and Development
Members must maintain their commitment to continual and ongoing professional development and education to comply with registration requirements. They must:
- Professional Development: Maintain and comply with all relevant Tantra Alliance professional development, including all qualifications and corresponding continued education requirements in areas such as trauma-informed practice.
- Individual Responsibility: Establish an individual and personalized structure for periodic and ongoing peer mentoring, support, and advice as well as self-reflection, especially around Tantra and teaching issues they find challenging.
- Compliance: Agree to follow all other Tantra Alliance policies and procedures, including the Tantra Alliance's Code of Ethics.
Code Principle 6 - Respond to and/or Report Any Misconduct
This code requires all schools and teachers to respond to any misconduct witnessed by their colleagues. This may start with direct feedback, and if no changes are made then internal assistance sought. If this still doesn't create a resolution, then reporting to the Tantra Alliance, or seeking professional support from Safe Mediation or similar. Members represent the standards to which they aspire and will abide, to the best of their ability. Members agree to be held accountable to their colleagues for any actions that deviate from the agreed-upon standards.
